5. Fontaine Jackson #3
“Jasmine said she didn’t want anyone knowing she was back. Especially your ass. I gave my word I wouldn’t meddle.”
I scoffed and snatched the blunt from him. “When has that ever stopped you?”
“Since I got a pregnant wife,” he said as he exhaled smoke through his nose. “So, I’m guessing Nai wasn’t happy seeing you with Presley.”
“Parker,” I corrected before taking a pull deep enough to burn my chest.
“Whatever. What happened?”
I sank into the couch as the weight of everything caught up with me. My whole body felt tense like it was bracing for something.
“They know each other,” I said, staring at the lit end of the blunt.
“Come again?”
I passed the blunt back to him. “She knew Parker’s name, bruh. I pulled Nai to the side to get some clarity, but she basically gave me her ass to kiss. So I left, and Parker told me that she was her handler. She also threw in that she knew about me and Nai’s situation.”
“Well shit,” Cash muttered.
Just then, the front door opened. Jasmine walked in and wrinkled her nose. “Ugh, Cash, I told you—if you’re gonna smoke, light the freaking incense.”
Cash shot me a look before quickly stubbing out the blunt. “My bad, baby. This nigga came over here on one, and I needed him to calm down.”
He crossed the room and wrapped her up, peppering her face with kisses like he hadn’t seen her in days.
“This nigga,” I muttered under my breath.
He gave me the finger without looking, lips still pressed to his wife’s neck.
“Money, go light some damn incense,” she laughed, smacking his chest.
He finally relented and disappeared into the kitchen.
“Fontaine,” Jasmine greeted, setting her purse on the table.
“About earlier…” I rubbed the back of my neck, guilt creeping up from how I handled things at the restaurant.
Cash’s head popped back out. “What happened earlier?”
“Nothing,” Jasmine said quickly. “We’re still good, friend.” She offered me a genuine smile.
Cash squinted at both of us. “I don’t like how that sounds.”
“It’s not that deep,” Jasmine said, heading down the hall toward their bedroom.
I exhaled. “Yo, Jasmine—did Nai tell you why she came back?”
She paused and glanced at Cash—an unspoken conversation passed between them.
“Go change, mama,” he told her gently.
She hesitated, then nodded and continued down the hall.
I looked at him. “What was that?”
He waited until we heard the bedroom door close. “Her dad died.”
I sat up straighter. “Shit. Who—Jasmine’s?”
He rolled his eyes. “No, dumbass. Nairobi’s. That’s why she’s back.”
My stomach dropped. I picked the blunt back up and sparked it again.
Cash watched me. “What happened in Miami?”
I let out a humorless laugh, remembering the weekend I went down there convinced that I could bring her back. I’d never told anyone what happened because I was so fucking embarrassed at how it all blew up in my face. Staying silent was easier than admitting how wrecked I’d been afterward.
“I found where she was staying. I watched her for a few days, just until she finished her job. I broke into the house she was renting and waited.” I pulled on the blunt. “We fucked. I asked her to come back with me. She told me no, so I told her good luck with her lonely ass life and left.”
Cash blinked. “You said what?”
“I was pissed, bruh. What was I supposed to say?”
“And you wonder why she’s tight?” He shook his head. “On top of the fact that you’ve been fucking around with her handler?”
“I didn’t know,” I snapped. “You think I would’ve fucked with shorty if I knew that? I did a background check on her and everything came up clean.”
I leaned forward, running a hand down my face.
“What the fuck, man? She told me to let her go, so I did. How am I wrong?”
“Y’all both fucked up,” Cash said. “She ran. And you’re just a dick.”
“How? She said no and I respected that.”
“Nigga, please.” Cash sucked his teeth. “‘Good luck with your lonely ass life?’ That was some cold ass shit, and you know that.”
Jasmine walked back in the room, wearing sweats and a bonnet. “People say wild shit in the heat of the moment. Don’t act like we haven’t said some messed up things to each other,” she said, pointing at Cash.
She turned to me. “Nairobi never told me what happened between y'all. After you left with Posey?—”
“Parker,” I groaned.
“Whatever, that bitch was weird. Why would she try and hug me? Like girl, I don’t know you.”
She made a face before sinking onto the chaise and pulling a throw blanket over her lap. “Anyway, all I’m saying is—Nai didn’t give any details, but I saw how she looked at you. She’s still feeling you. Just talk to her, apologize. A little simping never hurts either.”
I sighed, leaning back on the couch. “I’m supposed to grovel? After I basically begged her to stay? Yeah, no. I’m not doing that shit again.”
Jasmine yawned. “Well figure it out. You gotta do something. At the very least, I’m sure she could use someone in her corner with everything going on with her family.”
Cash clapped his hands together. “Yeah, figure it out. But not here. My wife is tired.”
He made a slow circle in the air with his finger. Translation: get your ass out.